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Sledgehammer (Fifth Harmony song)

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"Sledgehammer"
Song

"Sledgehammer" is a song recorded by American girl group Fifth Harmony. It was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor and Sean Douglas, and was produced by both Jeberg and Harvey Mason, Jr.. It was released on October 28, 2014 as the second single from their debut studio album Reflection (2015). It is a synthpop and electronic dance song about strong feelings for someone that are hard to ignore.

The song peaked at number 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it their first top 40 entry. It also appeared on the US Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Pop Songs charts at numbers 21 and 36 respectively. The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 26, 2015. In Canada, it reached a peak of number 63 on the Canadian Hot 100.

An accompanying music video for the song, choreographed and directed by Fatima Robinson, was released on the band's Vevo page. They first performed the song live at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards pre-show and would make later appearances on Good Morning America, Access Hollywood Live, The Talk, the Today Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Background

Meghan Trainor performing on stage with blue stage lighting shining upon her
Meghan Trainor (pictured) wrote "Sledgehammer" for Fifth Harmony.[1]

On October 23, 2014, Fifth Harmony announced "Sledgehammer" as the second single from their debut album, Reflection, during a live stream event.[2] The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor, and Sean Douglas, and produced by Jeberg and Harvey Mason, Jr..[1][3] It’s about the kind of love that just can’t be contained and forces you to let go.[2] On the behind-the-scenes of the song's music video, they said they "decided to with 'Sledgehammer' for our second single because our album has such a variety of sounds, and we all like completely different genres... the transition from 'Boss' to 'Sledgehammer' just shows how eclectic our sound is. And it's a relatable concept, just being with the person that you like, and feeling your heart beat like a sledgehammer."[4]

Reception

Critical reception

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard gave a positive review saying, "Fifth Harmony's second offering from its upcoming debut is already known as 'the single written by Meghan Trainor,' who nailed this girl-group track. With an EDM-meets-new-wave beat and an immediate hook, 'Sledgehammer' is the best pop track about the physical effects of lovesickness since Demi Lovato's 'Heart Attack'."[5]

Mike Wass of Idolator called it "a sugary sweet synth-pop anthem with serious radio appeal".[3] Jessica Hyndman of MTV gave a positive review saying, "'Sledgehammer' takes on a fun pop vibe, vastly different from the girls’ hip-hop banger 'Bo[ss]' and last year’s 'Miss Movin’ On'".[2] Teen Vogue called it their "favorite song the girl group's released....ever". Lucas Villa of AXS favorably compared the song to Ciara's "Overdose" and added that "'Sledgehammer' fittingly sounds like it could be [Fifth Harmony's] true breakthrough."[6] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly stated on a positive review referring to the chorus' lyrics that "if that troublesome heart rate is the secret to creating club-ready delights like this, may they never get that checked out."[7]

Carolyn Menyes of Music Times gave a mixed-negative review of the song saying, "Fifth Harmony didn't get its band name randomly - these girls can meld their five distinctive voices perfectly. The resulting chorus makes for a sparkling, jangling and endearing musical moment. As for the rest of the song, 'Sledgehammer' falls completely into average territory. The mid-tempo pop ballad lacks the pizazz and sass of lead Reflection single 'BO$$' and, thankfully, it moves away from the slang-friendly and kitschy sampler song 'Them Girls Be Like'. There's something distinctly '80s about 'Sledgehammer,' be it the heavy hand of the synth or the perfectly melded melodies. If there were only a more interesting melody to really bump this song up, it could have been star status".[8]

Commercial performance

Upon release, "Sledgehammer" debuted on the US Mainstream Top 40 at number 28, and peaked at number 21 on December 25, 2014, becoming their highest position on the chart and surpassing their first single "Miss Movin' On".[9] The song went on to spend three non-consecutive weeks at its peak position so far. On December 4, 2014, the song debuted at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100. It rose to a peak of 40 on its fifth week on the chart with week sales of 85,000, marking Fifth Harmony's best week sales as well as their highest charting single and first Top 40 hit.[10] However, it has since been surpassed by "Worth It" which peaked at number 12 and "Work From Home" which peaked at number 4.[11] On June 26, 2015, "Sledgehammer" was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States.[12]

Awards and nominations

"Sledgehammer" was nominated for Choice Love Song at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards. The song lost to One Direction's single, "Night Changes."[13]

Music video

The music video was uploaded to Fifth Harmony's official Vevo account on November 25, 2014. It was directed and choreographed by Fatima Robinson, who also directed the music video for "Boss". Scenes in the video include a swing set, an unicorn sculpture, and a silhouetted man swinging a sledgehammer. All while the girls of Fifth Harmony are dressed in colorful dresses and silky hair.[14] On November 21, 2014, MTV released an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of "Sledgehammer".[15] On April 20, 2016, the music video for "Sledgehammer" earned the group their fourth Vevo certification for amassing over 100 million views.

Synopsis

The members of Fifth Harmony portray themselves as silhouettes dancing in a background of blue and white shades.

The video begins the members of Fifth Harmony standing in a background of white and blue shades, where Camila claps her hands and the screen goes dark. The girls are now sitting in a pyramid stair, where Camila is moving her hands in rhythm of the song, before switching back to the prior scene. The screen goes dark momentartily several times, switching from a shot of a shirtless man moving a sledgehammer and the girls in the white and blue shade background.

The scene turns into color, revealing the faces of the girls for the first time, and each pound their heart with their hands as the lyric "If you could take my pulse right now, it would feel like a sledgehammer" is sung. Choreographed dance moves such as the girls throwing their fists in the air and the shot between the shirtless man moving the sledgehammer are alternated. The screen then shows blue and orange colors, in a special effect mimicking lights moving around the girls.

After several scenes, the girls are now individually shown singing, all wearing a different dress from the first shot. The video continues with repeating several scenes and the negative special effects becoming more present. In a different shot, one of the girls (unknown due to her silhouette) is seen with a fan blowing air towards her, waving her hair and dress simultaneously. The video rewinds the moment the shirtless man breaks pieces of brick apart to make it seem as if though the pieces are reforming, similar to when one is going through heartbreak.

Reception

Maggie Malack of PopCrush gave a positive review, raving about the thoughts one has when they have "pure emotions of falling for someone". She also praised the group's "undeniable confidence" and their "incredible vocals." She continues her review by noting the video's "maturity and ethereal quality" which portrays the group as "pop royalty".[16] Lucas Villa of AXS praised the video's "style and simplicity". He notes the more "tame affair" the video has from their previous single, Boss and also sees the video as a "another side" to the "burgeoning girl group".[17] Writing for Billboard, Jason Lipshutz says the video's monochromatic setting allows the group to "demonstrate their maturity". He also states that the video is "more of a relax fest" and called the "giddiness radiation" of the girls "pretty infectious".[18]

Live performances

On November 9, Fifth Harmony performed "Sledgehammer" for the first time at the pre-show of the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.[19] On November 12, they performed the song on Good Morning America.[20] That same week, they performed an acoustic version of the song on Access Hollywood Live.[21] On December 16, they performed a stripped down jazz version of the song on VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live.[22] The girls performed the song on Pitbull's New Year's Revolution that aired on Fox on December 31, 2014.[23] On February 3, 2015, they performed the song on Today Show, and on The Talk on February 5, 2015, upon the release of Reflection. They also performed the song during their Reflection Tour (2015). On February 18, 2015, the group performed the song on Sunrise while promoting the album in Australia,[24] and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on February 25, 2015.[25] Sledgehammer is on the setlist for Fifth Harmony's performances at the 2015 New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; and Sunrise, FL Jingle Ball concerts.[citation needed]

Track listing

  • Digital download
  1. "Sledgehammer" – 3:52
  • UK Digital single[26]
  1. "Boss" – 2:51
  2. "Sledgehammer" – 3:52

Charts

Chart (2014–15) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[27] 88
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[28] 49
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[29] 21
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[30] 63
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 34
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[32] 27
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 83
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[34] 36
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[35] 30
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 75
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[37] 112
US Billboard Hot 100[38] 40
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[39] 36
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[40] 21

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[41] Gold 40,000*
Sweden (GLF)[42] Gold 20,000‡
United States (RIAA)[43] Platinum 650,000ǂ‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

* Since May 2013, RIAA certifications for digital singles include on-demand audio and/or video song streams in addition to downloads.[44]

Release history

Country Date Format Label
United States[45] October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28) Digital download
United Kingdom[26] December 7, 2014 (2014-12-07)
  • Syco

References

  1. ^ a b "Sledgehammer | Fifth Harmony – Télécharger et écouter l'album" (in French). Qobuz.com. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Hyndman, Jessica (October 23, 2014). "Fifth Harmony Hit Us Like A 'Sledgehammer' With New Single Announcement". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved November 16, 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  3. ^ a b Wass, Mike (October 29, 2014). "Fifth Harmony Unveil Their Flawless 'Sledgehammer' Single Cover And Share The Songwriting & Production Credits". Idolator. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  4. ^ "Go Behind The Scenes On The Set Of Fifth Harmony's 'Sledgehammer' [Legendado PT/BR]". YouTube.
  5. ^ Lipshutz, Jason; Staff, Billboard (November 7, 2014). "The Best and Worst Singles of the Week -- From Fifth Harmony to Spandau Ballet". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  6. ^ Villa, Lucas (November 17, 2014). "Listen: Fifth Harmony hits like a 'Sledgehammer' on Meghan Trainor-penned single". AXS. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  7. ^ "5HonTour on Twitter". Twitter.
  8. ^ Menyes, Carolyn (October 29, 2014). "Fifth Harmony "Sledgehammer" Review: Girl Group Goes '80s on New 'Reflection' Single [LISTEN]". Music Times. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  9. ^ "Fifth Harmony - Chart history: Pop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  10. ^ Trust, Gary (January 2, 2015). "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Fifth Harmony Notches First Top 40 Hit With 'Sledgehammer'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  11. ^ "Fifth Harmony Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Hot 100 for Fifth Harmony. Retrieved 27 May 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  12. ^ "American certifications – Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer". Recording Industry Association of America.
  13. ^ Steiner, Amanda (August 16, 2015). "Teen Choice Awards 2015: See the full list of winners!". E! Online. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  14. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (November 25, 2014). "Watch Fifth Harmony Hit Like a 'Sledgehammer' In New Video". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  15. ^ Wilson, Gaby (November 21, 2014). "Go Behind The Scenes Of Fifth Harmony's 'Sledgehammer' Music Video Before It Even Drops". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved February 5, 2015. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  16. ^ "Fifth Harmony Are Ethereal Powerhouses in 'Sledgehammer' Video". PopCrush.
  17. ^ "Fifth Harmony premieres stylish music video for 'Sledgehammer'". AXS.
  18. ^ "Watch Fifth Harmony Hit Like a 'Sledgehammer' In New Video". Billboard.
  19. ^ King, Brittany (November 9, 2014). "Fifth Harmony Performs 'Sledgehammer' At The MTV EMAs". Hollywood Life. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  20. ^ Eishler, Juliann (November 12, 2014). "Fifth Harmony Wows With First TV Performance Of 'Sledgehammer'". Hollywood Life. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  21. ^ Thompson, Heather (November 15, 2014). "WATCH: Fifth Harmony Performs "Sledgehammer" Acoustic". J-14. Bauer Media Group. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  22. ^ "Fifth Harmony Performs 'Sledgehammer' on VH1's Big Morning Buzz!". Fifth Harmony. February 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  23. ^ Sartore-Bodo, Dina (December 31, 2014). "Fifth Harmony Rocks With 'Sledgehammer' Performance On NYE". Hollywood Life. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  24. ^ "Fifth Harmony LIVE - Video". Yahoo!7 TV. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  25. ^ Gracie, Bianca (February 26, 2015). "Fifth Harmony Perform "Sledgehammer" On 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show': Watch". Idolator. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  26. ^ a b "iTunes - Music - BO$$ - Single by Fifth Harmony". iTunes Store (UK). Apple. December 7, 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  27. ^ Ryan, Gavin (February 28, 2015). "ARIA Singles: Ellie Goulding 50 Shades Of Grey Song Spends Second Week On Top". Noise11. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  28. ^ "Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  29. ^ "Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer" (in French). Ultratip.
  30. ^ "Fifth Harmony Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  31. ^ "Fifth Harmony Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  32. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 4. týden 2015 in the date selector. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  33. ^ "Chart Track: Week 5, 2015". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  34. ^ "Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  35. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 20154 into search. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  36. ^ "Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer". Singles Top 100.
  37. ^ "UK CLUK Update 20.12.2014". zobbel. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  38. ^ "Fifth Harmony Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  39. ^ "Fifth Harmony Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  40. ^ "Fifth Harmony Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  41. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer". Music Canada. March 29, 2016.
  42. ^ certweek IS REQUIRED FOR SWEDISH CERTIFICATIONS.
  43. ^ "American single certifications – Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer". Recording Industry Association of America. June 26, 2015.
  44. ^ "RIAA Adds Digital Streams To Historic Gold & Platinum Awards". Recording Industry Association of America. May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  45. ^ "iTunes - Music - BO$$ - Single by Fifth Harmony". iTunes Store (US). Apple. July 7, 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
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